Renee Phipps

1. Becoming a mother – the most taxing yet rewarding experience in my life 2. Working within the Black Community – I have had the opportunity to help create change and continue legacy work of others 3. Pursuing educational goals – I was thrown many curve balls, and still achieved, through Christ and family support.

Being in love and loving other human beings around me , my ability to forgive others and practice empathy .

1. I was appointed in 2018 as Canadian Citizenship Judge (1 of only 9, first merit based appointment of judges, only Black judge, first paralegal and RCIC appointed as a CJ),2. First paralegal to be awarded with the Lincoln Alexander Award by the Law Society of Ontario (nomination sent for another award and the Treasurer saw my application and sought to change the rules to award the Lincoln Alexander Award to me), 3. I am the first Black professor in Mohawk College’s Paralegal Program

1) Raised $5 Million to build Dr. Roz’s Healing Place, Centre for abused Women and Children; 2) I established Women’s Lives Matter 2 in the Caribbean, 3) I was appointed to the Task Force on Sexual Abuse of Patients by Health Professionals commissioned by the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Healthcare Executive Leadership; Entrepreneur (small business owner); Passionate mentor to young Black girls and women

2015 Co-Founding the Nunavut Black History Society (NBHS); 2021 Selected Organizer, Writer & Presenter: History of People of African Descent in Nunavut at the Canadian Heritage first Emancipation Day Celebration event; 2022 Featured in Soft Landing, a Project by the Canadian Museum of Immigration on Immigrant Achievement and Impact on their communities

–

My first accomplishment is my family including my three daughters, Ayesha, Tahira, and Jamilah, my sons-in-law, Osama and Wendell, and my grandchildren, Zaid, Umayma, and Zora Mae. I cherish my roles as mother and grandmother. While we are spread out over various countries, we are nurtured by our precious connections. My second accomplishment is the PhD I was able to achieve later in life. I was happy in my teaching but there was always a feeling of something missing. Each September would roll around and I would think to myself, it’s September and I am not in grad school. Finally I applied, was accepted into the program, and decided to start with just one course. I come from parents who are descended from indentured labourers and who barely finished primary school, so it was a special accomplishment that I was able to complete a PhD in mathematics education. I am also proud that I was able to gain some small measure of understanding of Lacanian theory (which is notoriously difficult) with the help of the Lacan Salon, Vancouver. My third accomplishment is the longevity of my career as an educator. I taught for 30 years at Langara, and I continue to teach in my 32nd year at TRU. I am proud of the fact that many of my students are themselves teachers and researchers in mathematics. This has given me an understanding and appreciation of people and cultures that have helped me as I continue to work with students who increasingly come from countries other than Canada.

#NAME?

Traditionally published author of over 7 children’s books and counting, representing children in the Caribbean/African diaspora via literature and consistent appearances in schools, activist for inclusion in children literature and against racism.